Corn-husking machine.



W. W. MORRAL. CORN HUSKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27, 1907.RENEWED 001'. 22, 1913.

1 1 2 1 9 3'8 Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHBETX.

THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTO-LITHO., WASHINGTON, D. l

W. W. MORRAL. CORN HUSKING MACHINE.

Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

n1, (Marl-a5,

' APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27, 1907. RENEW 1,1 glflfifio THE NORRIS PETERS60., PHOTO LITHO \VASHINGION D. c.

WILLIAM W. MORRAL, or MORRAL, orrro,

ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO SAMUEL E.

MORRAL, OF MORRAL, OHIO.

CORN-HUSKING MACHINE.

Application filed June 27, 1907, Serial No. 381,005.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. MORRAL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Morral, in the county of Marion and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn-Husking Machines,of which the following is a specification, reference being had thereinto the accompanying drawings.

The present invention relates to corn husking machines, and the objectof the in vention is to produce a machine which will completely removethe husk from an ear of corn without shelling out the grains of corn inthe case of ripe corn or crushing the grains where green corn is beinghusked.

To this end it is a further object of the invention to provide means forholding the corn in engagement with the husking rollers and rotating thesame while thus held in engagement; and also to provide positive meansfor feeding the corn along the husk ing rollers and permitting the earto be rotated as it is thus fed.

With these objects in view my invention consists in certain novelfeatures of 0011- struction and in certain parts and combina tionshereinafter to be described, and then more fully pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a cornhusker embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical sec tional view,taken on the line as :0 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 8 is a side elevation of aportion of the machine, showing the gears for the husking rollers.

In these drawings I have illustrated the preferred form of my inventionand have shown the same as provided with a plurality of pairs of huskingrollers, extending transversely of the length of the machine, andpositively rotated rollers mounted above the pairs of husking rollersand adapted to enthe ear of corn and hold the same in engagement withthe husking rollers and rotate the same while so held, together with anendless belt for positively feeding the corn transversely of the lengthof the huskin rollers, but, obviously, the arrangement of the rollersand the character of the hold ing and rotating devices, as Well as thefeeding mechanism, may be varied without departing fromthe spirit of theinvention. In

- the form here shown, the machine comprises Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Dec. 22. 1914.

Renewed October 22, 1913. Serial No. 796,729.

a frame consisting of vertically extending side plates 1, which areunited by means of suitable transverse members 2 extending between theplates near the bottom thereof. This frame is supported upon suitablelegs 3, which may be of any suitable character, and are preferablysecured to the frame by bolting the same to the transverse connectingmember 2. The side members 1 of the frame are spaced apart a distancesufiicient to accommodate a large sized ear of corn ,and are of a lengthand height sufficient to husked. As here shown, the first pair ofrollers, 5 and 6, are roughened to enable the same to loosen the huskand afford a better gripping surface for removing the same. Thisroughened surface is preferably provided by forming a series of annulargrooves 7 about the cylindrical surface of the roller 5 and providingthe roller 6 with a plurality of annular series of teeth 8 of a lengthsubstantially equal to the depth of the grooves 7 and so arranged as toenter said grooves when the rollers are rotated. The rollers 9 and 10 ofthe next succeeding pairs have smooth cylindrical surfaces and arepreferably provided with a covering 11, of rubber or the like, to afforda better gripping surface for seizing any portion of the husk which mayremain upon the ear after it has passed the first pair of rollers 5 and6. This arrangement of the rollers is designed particularly for huskinggreen corn, and, as above stated, the arrangement may be varied to adaptthe same to husk different kinds of corn. The opposite ends of theshafts 4. upon which the husking rollers-are mounted, are preferablyjournaled in suitable bearings 12 formed in the side members 1 of theframe. The shaft of the roller 5 projects beyond the frame on both sidessimilar gear. 15 secured to the projecting end i of the shaft upon whichthe roller 6 is mounted, thus causing the rollers 5 and 6 to rotate onetoward the other. The gear 15 meshes with a corresponding gear 16secured to the shaft of the next succeeding roller and this gear mesheswith the next successive gear and so on, the shafts'of each of therollers being provided with suitable gears 16, whereby the rollers ofeach palr are rotated one toward the other.

Suitable means are provided for posi tively feeding the ears of corntransversely of the husking rollers and I prefer the form of feedingmechanism herein shown, which consists of an endless belt, here shown asa sprocket chain 17 mounted upon suitable sprocket wheels 18 which aremounted upon shafts 19 journaled in the frame members 1 near theopposite ends thereof. There are preferably two of the sprofcket chainsmounted near the opposite sides of the machine and adjacent to the innerwalls of the side members 1. The shafts 19 carrying the sprocket wheels'18 may be rotated in any suitable manner, but preferably by means of achain 20 which extends about a sprocket wheel 21, mounted on the end ofthe shaft 19, and about a similar sprocket wheel 22 mounted on the endof one of the shafts of the husking rollers. The belts or chains 17 areprovided with corresponding series of arms 23 secured thereto atintervals, and near the outer ends of these arms are mounted suitablefeeding members, such as the shafts 2st upon which are mounted suitablerollers As stated, the chains 17 are located on opposite sides of themachine and beyond the ends of the husking rollers, and the arms 23 areof such a length as to support the rollers 25 slightly above the uppersurface of the husking rollers. Thus, when the machine is in operation,the sprocket chain is moved transversely of the length of the huskingrollers and causes the arms 23 and the rollers to move in a directiontransversely of the length of said husking rollers and to carry the earsof corn from one pair of husking rollers to the next succeeding pair.

In order that the ear of corn may be held firmly in engagement with thehusking rollers until the same have loosened and torn away the husk, Iprovide suitable means located above each pair of husking rollers andadapted to engage the ear of corn as it passes over said rollers andhold the same in engagement therewith, and also adapted to prevent theear of corn tipping up on one end and choking the machine when thehusking rollers grasp the small end of the ear. 'The means herein shownfor this purpose consists of a plurality of rollers 26, 26 and 26",mounted upon shafts 27 which are journaled near the opposite ends of therollers in arms '28 and which extend'longitudinally of the huskingrollers. The arms 28 are mounted at their outer ends upon the shafts 19,thus allowing the rollers to move in substantially vertical planes abovethe ear of corn. These rollers are positively rotated from the drivingmechanism of the machine, preferably by means of a chain 29 whichextends about a sprocket wheel 30 secured to the end of one of theshafts 19 carrying the sprocket wheels 18 and about a. sprocket wheel 31secured to the adjacent end of the shaft 27 upon which the roller 26 ismounted. Upon the opposite end of the shaft 27 carrying said roller 26is a second sprocket wheel 32, about which extends a belt 33 which alsoextends about a similar sprocket wheel 31 on the shaft 27 of theadjacent roller 26 The roller 26 is rotated by means of a similar chain35 extending about a sprocket wheel 36 mounted on the shaft 27, uponwhich the roller 26 is mounted, and about the sprocket wheel 37 mountedupon the adjacent shaft 19 carrying the sprocket wheels 18. Theserollers 26, 26 and 26 may be held in engagement with the respective earsof corn by any suitable means, but I prefer to supplement the weight ofthe roller by means of suitable springs 38. These springs preferablyextend between the arms 28, which are provided with suitable lugs 39adapted to be in serted in the lower end of the spring, and the brackets40 which are secured to the inner surfaces of the side members 1 andwhich are preferably provided with suit able recesses or seats 11 toreceive the upper end of the springs 38. To permit the shafts 27 of theholding rollers to rise and fall in accommodating themselves to thevarious sizes of ears of corn, the apertures 42 in the side members 1 ofthe frame, through which said shafts extend, are elongated in a verticaldirection, thus allowing the shafts a free vertical play. The amount ofthe vertical movement of the shafts 27 relatively to the length of thearms 28 is so slight that the arc of the circle through which the shaftmoves is immaterial and is easily accommodated by slightly enlarging theelongated aperture or slot A suitable chute or guideway is provided forguiding the ears of corn to the husking rollers, and, in the form hereshown, I have constructed this chute by providing a plate 43 which liesbetween the sprocket wheels 18 at the forward end of the ma-- the lengthof the feeding arms and their 1 rollers and a passage or chute is formedbetween the same of a size sufficient to accommodate an ear of corn. Itwill be noticed that that portion of the plate e4 forming the outer wallof the chute is substantially horizontal having, in the presentinstance, a very small degree of inclination. As the result an ear ofcorn as it passes down the chute will engage the preceding feedingroller 25 which will check its movement and when it passes onto thesubstantially horizontal portion of the chute it will come to a rest andremain thereon until it is engaged by the following feeding roller whichwill move the ear into a position parallel with itself and then onto thehusking rollers. At the opposite or discharge end of the machine, theplate a5 is secured between theside members 1 of the frame and extendsfrom a point near the upper surface of the last husking roller to therear of the machine and serves to carry the ears of corn from saidhusking rollers to the receiving receptacle. Thus it will be seen thatwhen an ear of corn is fed into the chute or passageway formed by theplates 43 and M, the same is immediately engaged by one of the rollers25, carried by the feeding arms 23 on the sprocket chains 27, andcarried through said passageway and into engagement with the first pairof husking rollers. The roughened surfaces of this pair of rollersengage the husk of the ear and loosen the same and tear away the greaterportion thereof. The ear is held firmly in engagement with the huskingrollers while the rollers are acting upon the same by the holding roller26 which is located immediately above the point of contact of thehusking rollers and the rotation of the holding roller 26 serves torotate the ear about its longitudinal axis, thus bringing every portionof the husk into a position to be engaged by the husking rollers. Theroller 25, which is carried by the feeding belt, revolves about itslongitudinal axis, and, when in engagement with the ear of corn, doesnot interfere'with the rotation of said ear. The positive engagement ofthe feed rollers 25 with the ear of corn causes the same to move forwardand does not permit of it becoming lodged between the husking roller.The ear is carried from the first pair of rollers to the second pairwhere it is further acted upon by the smooth rubber surfaces of theserollers and any of the soft inner husk, which may not have been removedby the roughened surface, is engaged by the smooth rollers and all thehusk is thoroughly emoved from the ear and the same carried out over theplate 45 to the discharge end of the machine.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that I have provideda machine adapted to husk ears of corn which have been snapped or brokenfrom the stalk and to entirely remove the husk therefrom withoutdamaging the ear of corn, and this is accomplished by feeding the cornpositively along the husking rollers by means of a positive. feedcomprising an endless belt provided with arms carrying rollers adaptedto engage the ears of corn, thus preventing rollers and moving the samefrom one set of the same from becoming lodged between the rollers toanother; and by providing the holding rollers, which hold the ear ofcorn in engagement with the husking rollers to permit the latter toloosen the husk and re move the same, said rollers being positivelyrotated to rotate said ear of corn, thereb bringing every portion of theI husk into position to be engaged by said husking rollers.

I Wish it to be understood that l do'not desire to be limited to theexact details of construction shown and described, for obviousmodifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is i 1. In a corn husking machine, thecombination, with the husking rollers, and means for holding an ear ofcorn in engagement therewith, of a belt moving transversely to saidhusking rollers, feeding members supported from said belt at a pointremovedtherefrom and extending longitudinally of said husking rollers,and means for actuating said belt to cause said feeding members toengage said ear of corn.

2. In a corn husking machine, the combi nation, with the huskingrollers, and means located above said husking rollers for hold ing anear of corn in engagement therewith and for rotating said ear of corn,of a belt, feeding members suspended from said belt andextendinglongitudinally to said husking rollers and between said huskingrollers and said holding means, and means for actuating said belt tocause said feeding members to engage said ear of corn.

3. In a corn husking machine, the combination, with the husking rollers,and'means for holding an ear of corn in engagement therewith and forrotating the same, of endless belts mounted on opposite sides of saidmachine, arms depending from said belts, feeding members mounted on saidarms and extending transversely to said machine, and means for actuatingsaid belts in unison to cause said feeding members to engage said ear ofcorn.

4. In a corn husking machine, the combination, with the husking rollers,and means located above said husking rollers for holding the ear of cornin engagement therewith and for rotating said ear of corn, of feedmechanism comprising feed rollers adapted to be moved between saidhusking rollers and said holding means and to engage said ear of corn.

5. In a corn husking machine, the combination, with the huskingrollers,and means located above said husking rollers for holding an ear of cornin engagement therewith and for rotating said ear of corn, of a belt,feed rollers carried by said belt and extend- .ing between said huskingrollers and said holding means, and means for actuating said belt tocause said feed rollers to engage said ear of corn.

6. In a corn husking machine, the combination, with the husking rollers,and means for holding an ear of corn in engagement therewith and forrotating the same, of endless belts mounted on opposite sides of saidmachine, arms depending from said belts, and feed rollers extendingtransversely of said machine and journaled in said arms, and means foractuating said belts in unison to cause said feed rollers to engage saidear of corn.

7. In a corn husking machine, the combination, with the husking rollers,a holding roller extending longitudinally of said husking rollers, andmeans for rotating said holding rollers, of endless belts mounted onopposite sides of said machine, arms carried by said endless belts, feedrollers extending transversely of said machine and journaled in saidarms, and means for actuating said belts in unison to cause said feedrollers to engage said ear of corn.

8. In a corn husking machine, the combination, with the husking rollers,and a feeding belt for moving an ear of corn over said husking rollers,of arms pivotally mounted above said husking rollers and extendingsubstantially parallel with said feed belt, a holding roller mounted insaid arms and adapted to engage an ear of corn when in contact with saidhuskin g rollers, and means for rotating said holding roller.

9. In a corn husking machine, the combination, with the husking rollers,of a feed belt extending transversely of said husking rollers, feedrollers carried by said belt and extending parallel with said huskingrollers, and means for actuating said belt to cause said feed rollers tomove transversely of said husking rollers.

10. In a husking machine, the combination, with a frame, and huskingrollers ournaled in said frame and extending transversely thereof, ofsprocket Wheels mounted near the opposite ends of said frame, sprocketchains extending about said sprocket wheels and above said huskingrollers, arms carried by said sprocket chains and rollers carried bysaid arms and adapted to engage an ear of corn and move the sametransversely of said husking rollers.

11, In a corn husking machine, the combination, with a frame, andhusking rollers extending transversely thereof, of shafts mounted insaid frame near the opposite ends thereof, sprocket wheels mounted onsaid shafts, sprocket chains extending about said sprocket wheels andabove said husking rollers, feeding members carried by said sprocketchains and adapted to engage an ear of corn and move the sametransversely of said husking rollers, an arm pivotally connected to oneof said shafts, a roller journaled near the free end of said arm, andmeans for positively rotating said roller.

12. In a corn husking machine, the combination, with a frame, andhusking rollers extending transversely thereof, of shafts mounted insaid frame near the opposite ends thereof, sprocket wheels mounted onsaid shafts, sprocket chains extending about said sprocket wheels andabov said husking rollers, feeding members carried by said sprocketchains and adapted to engage an ear of corn and move the sametransversely of said husking rollers, an arm pivotally connected to oneof said shafts, a roller journaled near the free end of said arm, meansfor positively rotating said roller, and a spring bearing on said armand tending to move said roller toward said husking rollers.

13. In a corn husking machine, the combination, with the husking rollersand feed mechanism located above the same, of a curved guidewayextending from a point above said feed mechanism about the end thereofto said husking rollers at a point beneath said feed mechanism.

147 In a corn husking machine, the combination, with the huskingrollers, of a pair of curved plates spaced one from the other andforming a guideway leading from the upper portion of the machine to saidhusking rollers and feed mechanism adapted to move through saidguideway.

15. In a corn husking machine, the com bination, with the huskingrollers, an end less belt extending longitudinally of said machine, andfeeding members carried by said belt, of a pair of curved plates forminga guideway and adapted to receive the feeding members carried by saidbelt and guide the corn to said husking rollers.

16. In a corn husking machine, the combination, with husking rollers, offeeding mechanism comprising feeding rollers, a movable supporttherefor, and means for actuating said support to cause said feedingrollers to travel bodily along said. husking rollers.

17. In a corn husking machine, the com bination, with husking rollers,of feeding mechanism comprising feeding rollers, a movable supporttherefor, and means for actuating said support to cause said feedingrollers to travel bodily transversely to said husking rollers.

18. In a corn husking machine, the combination, with husking rollers, offeeding mechanism comprising arms, feeding rollers carried by the outerends of said arms, and means for actuating said arms to move saidfeeding rollers transversely of said husking rollers.

19. A corn husking machine comprising a conveyer having upper and lowerportions moving in dilferent directions, a husking device arrangedadjacent to the lower portion of said conveyer, and ear-supporting meansarranged adjacent to the upper and lower stretches of said co veyer,said conreyer having earengagin members adapted, respectively, to engagethe individual ears of corn while said ears are on the upper portion ofsaid ear-supporting means and to cause said ears to move to the lowerportion of said ear-supporting means, said members being further adaptedto engage said ears of corn when said ears are on the lower portion e rar-supporting means :nd to move said ears into operative engagement withsaid husking device.

20. A corn husking machine comprising an endless belt conveyer havingits upper and lower stretches moving in difierent directions, cornhusking rollers arranged beneath and adjacent to the lower stretch ofsaid conveyer and extending transversely to its line of movement, anear-supporting means arranged adjacent to the upper and lower stretchesof said conveyer, said conveyer having a series of ear-engaging membersadapted, respectively, to engage individual ears of corn while said earsare on the upper portion of said supporting means, to move said ears ofcorn along said sup porting means in the direction of movement of saidupper stretch of said conveyer to cause said ears to move to the lowerstretch of said conveyer and to further engage said ears while they areon the lower portion of said supporting means and to move them into andout of operative engagement with said husking rollers.

21. A corn husking machine comprising a conveyer having upper and lowerportions moving in difierent directions, a husking device arrangedadjacent to the lower portion of said conveyer, and a chute leading fromthe upper portion of said conveyer to said husking device, said conveyerhaving ear engaging members adapted, respectively, to engage theindividual ears of corn while said members are on the upper portion ofsaid conveyer, to move said ears of corn through said chute and tofurther engage the ears of corn while said members are on the lowerportion or said conveyer to move said ears of corn into operativeengagement with said huslring device.

22. In a corn husking machine, the combination, with an ear-supportingtable, of a conveyer comprising endless belts supported below the levelof said table, arms secured to said belts extending above the level ofsaid table, and ear-engaging members extending transversely to saidtable and secured at its opposite ends to the respective arms of saidbelts.

23. In a corn husking machine, the combination, with a fixed support foran ear of corn, of a conveyer comprising endless belts arrangedbelow thesupporting surface of said support, and ear-engaging members carried bysaid belts and extending above said supporting surface, whereby saidear-engaging members will engage the ear of corn while it rests uponsaid support and move the same longitudinally thereof.

24-. In a corn husking machine, a support for an ear of corn, a huskingdevice arranged beneath said support, a chute leading from said supportto said husking device, and a feeding device arranged to feed an ear ofcorn along said support, through said chute and over said huskingdevice.

25. In a machine of the character described, a frame, a support for anear of corn mounted on the upper portion of said frame, mechanismmounted in the lower portion of said frame, beneath said support, tooperate on an ear of corn after it has passed from said support, aguidway leading from said support to said operating mechanism, aconveyer supported'on said frame between said support and said operatingmechanism and comprising an endless belt having secured thereto a seriesof earengaging members, said belt being so arranged that the earengagingmembers thereof will engage the ears of corn, move the same across saidtable, through said guideway and past said operating mechanism.

26. In a corn husking machine, an earsupporting table arranged toreceive an ear of corn, corn husking devices arranged on a lower levelthan said table, a chute connecting said table with said corn-huskingdevices, a conveyer comprising belts arranged on opposite sides of andbeneath the surface of said table and having earengaging membersextending above said table and connected at their opposite ends with therespective belts, said belts being arranged to carry said ear-engagingmembers in one direction along said table and in another direction oversaid corn husking devices.

27. In a corn husking machine, the combination, with husking rollers, ofa chute leading to said husking rollers and having an inclined portionand a substantially horizontal portion arranged adjacent to saidrollers, a conveyer having an ear-engaging member arranged to move oversaid substantially horizontal portion of said chute, engage the ear ofcorn thereon, move the same into a position parallel with said huskingrollers and into engagement with said husking rollers.

28. In a corn husking machine, the combination, with husking rollers,and means for holding an ear of corn in engagement therewith, endlessbelts mounted on oppo site sides of said machine, ear engaging membersconnected at their opposite ends with the respective belts and arrangedsubstantially parallel with said husking rollers, and means foractuating said belts in unison to cause said ear engaging members tomove between said husking rollers and said holding means.

29. In a corn husking machine, husking mechanism comprising huskingrollers, and feeding mechanism comprising a feeding roller mounted on anaxis substantially parallel with the axes of said husking rollers, oneof said mechanisms having bodily movement transy ersely to its axis,whereby said feeding roller will cause the ears of corn to move acrosssaid husking rollers transversely to their axes.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM XV. MORRAL. /Vitnesses SAMUEL E. MORRAL, C. J. SCHULTZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Eatents, Washington, D. G.

